After spending funds on advertising and exhausting other efforts to fill Academic Governance committees, ASMSU has filled 32 of 34 student representative seats.
In the days and weeks following an increase in reported sexual assaults on campus, MSU officials, student organizations and students say they're reacting by improving awareness and safety. About 75 students from Emmons and Butterfield halls attended a mandatory meeting on personal safety Monday night. "We wanted to educate students and allow them to ask the experts questions," Emmons Hall Resident Director Qiana Smith said. A majority of the attendees were men, said Jayne Schuiteman, personal safety coordinator for the MSU Women's Resource Center. "Female safety is not just a female issue," Sexual Assault Program counselor Barb Walkington said.
The newest branch of a Frandor Shopping Center video store has set up shop on campus. Video To Go has expanded from its current location to room 107 in the Union.
A new residential college was the main topic of a special Academic Council meeting Tuesday. Marcellette Williams, chairwoman of the New Residential College Program Planning Group, presented the committee's draft report for a new liberal arts and sciences college. Williams said the committee identified several issues faculty and students brought up in the various meetings it held.
The Women's Resource Center is presenting four programs Wednesday and Thursday to help students, faculty and staff deal with common issues for women. The issues addressed this week range from perfectionism to the importance of sleep. Among the topics addressed at the program, "Long Distance Loves, Long Distance Lives: The Ups & Downs of Long Distance Relationships," is how to maintain a healthy balance between a significant other and an active social life at home. "There is definitely a mental health angle here, and a healthy relationship angle - people shouldn't be caught up in waiting for the phone to ring," said Jodi Hancock, education program coordinator of the Women's Resource Center.
A traveling club is offering an MSU junior the chance to spend the summer exploring the world. The scholarship, offered by the Michigan Chapter of the Circumnavigators Foundation, which is part of the Circumnavigators Club, is worth $8,000.
Exams have started, leaves are falling, and many MSU students are still crowded into overbooked residence hall rooms. Chuck Gagliano, assistant vice president for Housing and Food Services, said there are currently 130 over-assigned rooms. "This isn't something that the university staff did, it's something that occurred," Gagliano said.
Video To Go is holding a grand opening celebration today for its new store location, room 107 of the Union. The video store, which officially opened Wednesday, will raffle off DVD players in honor of the grand opening, along with special offers for customers. Video To Go features new releases and also movies in categories such as foreign, cult classics and television. Playstation 2 and Xbox video games are also available for rent. The Union store also sells movie posters, books and popcorn. Video To Go is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
The MSU Community Charitable Campaign officially kicks off its donation season 7:30 a.m. today with a breakfast in the Kellogg Center. The campaign is MSU's section of the United Way's charity program that raises money for those in need across the nation. Event organizers at the kick off will talk to people about making donations and volunteering time throughout the campaign.
Concerned with women's issues at the early age of 14, Emily Malloy is now the youngest person on the Michigan Women's Commission. Malloy, now a 20-year-old English senior, said the commission will deal with such issues as: affirmative action, domestic violence, substance abuse, gender equality in education, unintended pregnancies and infant mortality and women's economic issues. Last summer, Malloy worked as an intern with the commission and soon after was appointed to it for a two-year term after executive director Judy Karandjeff encouraged her to apply. "It's really fabulous," Malloy said.
A student-packed Erickson Hall Kiva fell from a dull roar to dead silence Thursday night when Michael Newdow began his initial argument in a debate of the most volatile matter - the existence of God. Newdow is known for the case he brought to the U.S.
Delving into history and examining the present, Afghanistan Week was a time to explore a country and its current state through film and speakers.
University officials recognized the legacy of former MSU President John Hannah on Friday with the dedication of a $195,000 statue. The ceremony, part of MSU's sesquicentennial celebration - the 150th anniversary of the university - was held in front of the Administration Building bearing the 12th president's name.
When he was MSU's president from 1941 through 1969, John Hannah used to walk every morning from his home at Cowles House to Linton Hall office. Stopping to bow his hat or talk to almost every student along the way was important to the university's 12th president, his friend and colleague, Roger Wilkinson said. "He was very interested in the grounds - he loved the beauty of campus," said Wilkinson, who was a student during Hannah's presidency and the vice president of finance and operations during Hannah's last year as president.
Students gathered Wednesday night at the rock on Farm Lane to celebrate Mexican Independence Day at the third-annual Diez y Sies de Septiembre Celebration. "It's a day to embrace your culture," apparel and textiles design junior Ricardo Leon said.
ASMSU is looking to help professors administer exams in an effort to curb cheating and increase its student outreach. Vinayak Prasad, Academic Assembly External Vice chairperson, presented a plan to the Academic Assembly Policy Committee Tuesday night that would create a pilot program to proctor exams for large classes. He detailed the plan's initial groundwork which calls for about 15-20 total students in the program who would pass out exams and stay to monitor test takers.
At its first meeting of the new school year, the MSU Board of Trustees will discuss renovations to two residence halls which could change the presence of the student population on campus. The board will discuss changing the plans for the renovation of Snyder and Phillips halls to include space for a new residential college, and the construction of a 300 resident apartment-style hall in the Brody Complex. "It will be a very exciting change once everybody gets where they are comfortable with the structure of it," Trustee Dee Cook said. Friday will be the first time the board will look at any aspect of the construction of a new liberal arts college on campus.
Workers in toxicology suits visited the Food Safety and Toxicology Building Wednesday to investigate an unknown irritant that sent a 38-year-old university employee to Lansing's Sparrow Hospital.
MSU professors of physics and astronomy will hold "Astronomical Horizons" lectures once a month throughout the school year. "This is a little bit more of an interactive, scientific level for the general public," said Horace Smith, a physics and astronomy professor who started the series.
As Eytan Kenter led the Kiddush Wednesday night students holding glasses of grape juice joined in with the prayer, their chanting voices filling the acoustical room.